Why does employment laws exist

There are a core set of acts that embody the main parts of employment law. By regularly reminding yourself of these laws and your responsibilities as an employer, you are far less likely to break them inadvertently. Here are the most important pieces of employment law legislation and key information on these laws.

This can be determined by a few factors:. As a worker, they have rights set out by employment law. They are slightly different to employees but are still protected by many of the same laws. These can include:. Despite the nature of the employment type, those who are self employed are still protected by employment law legislation. It is not as comprehensive as the previous employment statuses, but there are still some that should be taken into account.

They are as follows:. While not directly employment law, health and safety legislation also affects employer and employee relationships. You need to understand your responsibilities towards health and safety in the workplace when navigating employee issues. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety measures in Great Britain. These acts place a duty on employers to protect their health, safety and welfare while at work.

This applies to all of those on the premises, be that workers, temps or even clients and the general public. It enforce these duties and to penalise non-compliance. The various acts and legislation outline that all employees or workers have 3 basic rights when it comes to health and safety in the workplace.

This shows that, while not strictly employment law, these rights and acts have an effect on employee and employer relationships. For example, dismissal for refusal to work in an unsafe environment would be unlawful under health and safety rather than employment law.

There are also several other pieces of UK legislation that, although not solely related to employment law, contain key employment law information. These are:. If you require any legal advice, get in touch for immediate assistance with any employment law, HR, or health The laws also ensure that employees report to work on time and do what employers pay them for.

This helps employers to sustain productivity and competition in the market. This law binds every employer, hence protects employees from exploitation. In protecting children, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act states that children aged below 14 years should not be under employment. However, they can help their parents run their businesses.

World View. Employees are afforded the protection of law regarding their payroll, hourly wages, safety and fairness. Beyond that, the laws create the means of educating workers about their rights and responsibilities and provide the means of taking action when violations are noted.

The laws are intended to benefit employers as well. The right of an employer to hire and, if necessary, fire employees at-will is confirmed by law. Operational ambiguities are reduced by establishing clear-cut legal expectations along with guidance materials to assist employers in meeting their responsibilities.

The benefits extend well beyond the workplace. Our society is made more decent and humane by establishing norms that restrict child labor, reduce work-related injuries and diseases, and provide mechanisms for fair treatment of the nation's workforce.

David Sarokin is a well-known Internet specialist with publications in a wide variety of business topics, from the best uses of information technology to the steps for incorporating your business.

He is the author of The Corporation, Its History and Future Cambridge Scholars, on the role of big business in the modern world, and Missed Information MIT Press, , detailing how our social systems like health care, finance and government can be improved with better quality information. By David Sarokin Updated August 21,